Shibu Hot Springs

Nagano, Japan

Things to see

Interested in vacationing in Japan like a local? There are few holiday destinations that attract more people than the country's numerous hot springs, or onsen.* Located in mountainous central Japan, Shibu Onsen offers a traditional small-town Japanese atmosphere where you can enjoy over a dozen natural hot spring baths. It might still be a hidden gem if it were not for the "snow monkeys" you can watch bathing in the hot spring a few kilometers up the valley.

If you'd like to read about the hot springs, please check out this page:
http://www.info-yamanouchi.net/english/hotspring/index.html

How to get here

Shibu Onsen is located in the town of Yama-no-uchi, in Nagano Prefecture in central Japan. Using public transportation it takes about 2 1/2 to 3 hours from Tokyo or 3 hours from Osaka. It's not terribly convenient, but then how would you escape the crowds if it were?

From Tokyo:

  1. From Tokyo or Ueno Station, take the Shinetsu Shinkansen to Nagano Station (between 75 and 120 minutes, ¥7000).
  2. From Nagano Station, take the Nagano Railway ("Nagaden") all the way to the end of the line at Yudanaka Station. Note that some trains only go as far as Nakano (not to be confused with Nagano).
    By far the best is to catch one of the two express trains, either the Snow Monkey Express or the other one. The express trains cost an extra ¥100 (paid at the same time as you buy the ticket from the machine) but they're much faster. On the other hand, if the next express is not for a while then you can enjoy the slower pace along with the local gramps and kids.
  3. From Yudanaka Station it's about a 15 or 20 minute walk to Shibu Onsen. You could take the bus, in which case be sure to get off at Wago-bashi.

From Osaka:

From Kyoto:

From Nagoya: